Years ago, a man went on vacation with his family to Las Vegas. As it often is with gambling addicts, he spent every free minute in the city’s casinos. Unfortunately, his lucky streak was also on vacation, and so he lost every cent he had, maxed out all his credit cards, and since his house was already mortgaged, he lost everything he had ever owned financially that night.
“The meaning of life is gone. I am a loser,” he whispered quietly to himself as he stood up from the table and began searching for the best way and place to end his life.
On his way out, he stopped at a restroom. He couldn’t get in, as the door could only be opened with a 25-cent coin. Well, those 25 cents had already gone to the casino along with the rest of his thousands of dollars—so he couldn’t even use the restroom. At the sink stood a man who noticed his frustration and handed him a 25-cent coin. Just as he was about to slide it into the slot, the door of the neighboring restroom opened. “You can use this one, brother.” And so, he accepted the offer and went inside.
As he made his way back toward the casino exit, he realized he still had the 25 cents in his pocket. And what does a gambling addict do with 25 cents? He puts it into a slot machine. And that’s exactly what he did. The machine started whirring, the reels spinning—and within seconds, the sound of bells echoed through the entire casino: Jackpot. 1 million dollars.
And what does a gambling addict do with 1 million dollars? Exactly: keep playing. He took the money and moved to the dice table. And he kept winning—round after round after round. By now, the casino had located his family, and suddenly they stood by his side, just as he won yet another round. His winnings had reached 43 million dollars when his family finally pulled him away from the table—against his will.
Of course, he was interviewed afterward. “You must be incredibly grateful to the man who gave you the 25 cents,” the reporter suggested.
The man shook his head with a smile. “No. I’m grateful to the man who opened the door for me.”
Just a few days ago, I received a wonderful email: “So many positive things have changed for me in the past weeks. With your mantra That’s good, my mindset has shifted completely.”
If you know my second German book, “Re-Connect to Love and to Myself,” then you already know what those two words mean. Because they also transformed my life. Two words. Just two words can have that much power—if you accept them and live them.
And that’s exactly what it’s about: Opening doors with mindfulness.
Every single day, you can symbolically open a door for someone else. You don’t need money, contacts, thousands of followers, or a dream job. You already have everything you need: yourself.
Say a kind word to someone. Listen. Be there. Share your dreams—and ask others about theirs. Help them rediscover their own. Because the future won’t get brighter if we keep talking about the darkness of the past.
Be someone, here and now, who opens doors—with the unique gifts and abilities you already have. All it takes is your willingness.
And if you want to develop a positive mindset, start small. It’s the small gestures that create the biggest impact—for yourself and for everyone around you.
I wish you a fantastic week and now look forward to a great Oktoberfest evening with dear friends—and then to our journey to Orlando. Having lived and worked there for a year when I was 20, I’m beyond excited to return after 28 years and, together with Les Brown, present our new book next Sunday in front of over 600 people.
